I’m Converted, This Gen Alpha Family Holiday Is Now Firmly On Our Annual Itinerary
Disclaimer: we are not an active family. A typical holiday itinerary for this writer involves sun loungers, sun downers and relaxation. We are, unquestionably, a family of professional sun seekers, as my previous travel reviews attest.
Which is why an invitation to road test a luxury sports activity trip in mainland Greece piqued my interest. According to a recent Globetrender report, parents of kids born between 2010-2024 increasingly seek travel choices that provide memorable and engaging experiences for their Gen Alpha children. Screens are out and connecting with the real world is very much in – a POV my husband and I certainly relate to.
But how would we fly-and-floppers cope with a solid itinerary of activities? Would we lean into the ‘sporty family’ dynamic or find it all a bit too much? Most importantly, would we enjoy it?
The vibe
Pegged as the ultimate in family sports destinations, the newly renovated Westin Resort Costa Navarino is one of four 5-star hotels at the sustainably driven destination Costa Navarino in Messinia.
Designed with a Mediterranean village feel, the sprawling estate offers both luxury rooms and private residences, although we found the real draw to be its incredible facilities.
With access to four on-site golf courses, a tennis performance centre, padel courts, a gloriously expansive spa and multiple indoor and outdoor pools (with endless sun loungers), it is really an oasis of activity and relaxation in equal measure – an ideal spot for our party of sporty holiday newbies.
It is really an oasis of activity and relaxation in equal measure – an ideal spot for our party of sporty holiday newbies.
The location
A meandering drive through the hilly olive groves of Messinia in the southwest Peloponnese brought us to Costa Navarino. Kissing the Ionian coastline, the destination was the brainchild of a native entrepreneur and has been developed carefully over many years. Local community, local heritage and respect for the environment are at the heart of Costa Navarino – over 60% of staff are Messinian, more than 7,000 established olive trees were transplanted back to the site post construction and there are stringent conservation efforts to protect habitats of nesting turtles in the area. Impressive achievements that added to our enjoyment of its spaces – we love a destination with a story and soul.
The room
We stayed in a Family Suite at The Westin, which was quite frankly enormous. I have strong views on expensive yet pokey accommodation with meagre storage – no such worries here.
The kids shared a decent-sized sofa bed in the living side of the suite, and we roomed in a separate open-plan bedroom, bathroom, and dressing room space cleverly divided by a free-standing bath. It was a space that could be adapted for families of all ages and clearly designed with that purpose in mind. Plus, we loved the decor – understated yet luxurious in feel, with a stone-washed colour palette inspired by the Messinian landscape outside.
We loved the decor – understated yet luxurious in feel, with a stone-washed colour palette inspired by the Messinian landscape outside.
Food & drink
Comprising four individual hotels, there are endless options for dining within Costa Navarino – over 40 venues to be precise, ranging from counter service to fine dining, authentic Greek cuisine to global flavours.
We stayed for just three nights and tried the grill at Flame, Italian fare at Da Luigi and open-air seafood at Barbounaki – all welcoming and delicious. When we return again, new restaurant Paráfrasi by CTC will definitely be on our hit list – authentic flavours of Greece presented with a modern, artistic twist by Michelin-starred chef Alexandros Tsiontinis.
For drinks, 1827 lounge bar in The Westin Resort courtyard is a great spot to round off the day with a G&T – or head to the ’square’, the spot connecting The Westin Resort with neighbouring The Romanos, for a multitude of al fresco choices.
Should our stay have been longer, we would certainly have ventured outside of the resort by taxi to experience one of the many local tavernas along the coastline. In true Greek style, any of the proudly local staff are willing to provide their recommendation!
Things to do
It’s possibly simpler to list things we didn’t do – we packed a lot into our taster trip. The kids loved exploring the newly revamped aqua park whilst we recuperated on sun loungers after our early flight across. Lounging by the pool was then followed by a sundown family session at the Mouratoglou tennis academy with one of the resident tennis pros, where some serious technique advancement was made in a very short space of time!
Neither myself or my daughters had ever picked up a golf club, so a lesson at The Dunes Course whilst my husband played 9 holes was a really fun way to kick off the next morning – many whoops of excitement when we actually managed to get the ball moving, thanks to the expert guidance of our golf pro. We loved it so much we all returned to the driving range later that afternoon to test out our newfound skills solo.
This experience has genuinely changed the way we look at holidaying with our children.
An absolute highlight was the guided 15km biking tour around the local Gialova Lagoon salt flats to see flamingos and an impromptu swim at the bordering Voidokoilia beach, so pretty it felt like a Grecian Koh Phi Phi. Our cycle guide Kiri from Moraitis Outdoors gave us an entertaining potted history of the area as we pedalled along.
A vast array of daily activities keeps all members of the family entertained, from stargazing and the open-air cinema to the climbing wall and 10-pin bowling. But it’s the Anazoe Spa that deserves the final mention – a sprawling 4,000sqm haven offering a wide range of treatments based on ancient Greek practices, featuring hydrotherapy pools, saunas, steam rooms, and a health club. We booked in for mama-daughter and daddy-daughter pamper sessions together and left feeling utterly spoiled.
Verdict
This experience has genuinely changed the way we look at holidaying with our children. We now appreciate how much fun it is to get out and try new things with the kids, and that learning and playing together creates really unique memories. And personally, I’ve taken up golf as a result of my lesson – the idea of having a sport I can enjoy and combine with travel into my later years with my husband is incredibly appealing.
There’s no denying this type of holiday is expensive – to get the most out of the experience, you must be prepared to invest in the added extras. If, however, you’re looking for a luxury family stay with all the activities you could wish for, The Westin Resort Costa Navarino is definitely the spot to try.
How to get there & book
Flights from London to Kalamata are typically 3 and a half hours, and Navarino Dunes is a mere 45-minute drive by car or taxi from Kalamata airport, with more flight paths from the UK opening this season. For accommodation options at The Westin Resort Costa Navarino, click here.
